The Role of Human Factors in the Decision to Administer General Anesthesia For Emergency Cesarean Deliveries: A Qualitative Interview Study of Anesthesia Trainees in Ireland

( Int J Obstet Anesth 2025;63:104696. doi: 10.1016/j.ijoa.2025.104696) Neuraxial anesthesia (NA) is generally the preferred technique for emergency cesarean delivery (CD) because it offers well-established benefits for both maternal and neonatal outcomes. Despite this, general anesthesia (GA) is used in certain emergency situations, sometimes appropriately and sometimes when alternative approaches may have been feasible. This qualitative study explored how anesthesia trainees decide to administer GA during emergency CD and examined the human factors that influence this complex decision-making process.